There were some severe gales in coastal areas, generating 50mph winds, and 60mph gusts, it said.

Heavy rain and gales will continue this week, mostly on Monday and in particular Wednesday.

Wednesday will be very wet and windy with winds reaching 60mph inland or 80mph in coastal areas.

Winds on Monday will be lighter while Tuesday will be brighter with some showers.

Emergency services in the north of England remain stretched as they call on extra resources to cope with floods caused by Storm Desmond, declared a major incident in Cumbria, the worst affected county.

Fears are growing over the safety of an elderly man who police believe fell into the swollen River Kent in Kendal and they are waiting on an Underwater Search Team to assist them in the search. Motorists are being advised to avoid the area around Staveley Road.

In London, a 90-year-old man lost his life after he was believed to have been blown into the side of a moving bus by a gust of wind, near Finchley Central Tube station, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

Following an emergency Government meeting, Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said that figures from a rain gauge in Honister, Cumbria, suggest a record amount of rain fell in the 24 hours between Friday and Saturday evenings. It measured 341mm, which is more than a month’s worth of rainfall in just one day and more than the UK has ever experienced in such a short amount of time.